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Oct. 3l, 1967 M. B. ELLs ETAL 3,349,993

PACKAGE Filed June 12, 196s s sheets-sheet 1 1 '.1.l l 1 MTC ,//025 Z4 Ta l 2 "lllllll lllilllllllllllllll'lllulqlulllill II IHIIIHHMIIH' [[[111[im@wwwU||i|l|||m||f|fflufmmuiefm;[HHS 1 1 n Il; t?

i w @kf in A l ATTO NEY.

Oct. 31, 1967 M. B. ELLs ETAL 3,349,993

PACKAGE Filed June 12, 196:5 s sheets-sheet z ATTORNEY Oct. 31, 1967 lM B, ELLS ETAL 3,349,993

v PACKAGE Filed June 12, 196s 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTONEY United States Patent O 3,349,993 PACKAGE Myron B. Ells, Somerville, and Frederic W. Bollenhach, Westfield, NJ., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Package Products Company, Inc., Charlotte, N.C., a

corporation of North yCarolina Filed .lune 12, 1963, Ser. No. 287,371 7 Claims. ('Cl. 229-66) This invention relates to containers and more particularly to improvements in exible bag-like containers and to methods of making them.

One type of exible bag-like container which has been commonly used in the packaging field is made from a plastic, such as polyethylene sheeting. The container is normally flat and has superposed front and back walls which are secured together at their vertical side edges and at their bottom edges. One of the walls extends beyond the top edge of the other wall and the extended portion is folded downwardly around the top edge of the other wall into overlying relationship with its upper exterior portion. This overlying extension is secured at its end edges to form a closure flap which extends across the width of the container. The closure flap is unattached at its bottom edge so that it may be folded back to permit access into the interior of the container for removal of all or part of its contents. Thereafter, the ap maybe returned to its original position to close the container without tearing or destroying it.

Containers of the foregoing type have achieved commercial success because they are flexible, inexpensive, may be made attractive, and of transparent or opaque material, and, as noted above, because they permit ready removal of contents without destroying the container. However, because the closure ap of such containers is not secured at its `bottom edge, extraneous matter may enter into the container under the flap, particularly if the ap does not lit into snug, conforming relationship with the upper exterior portion of the wall it overlies. In addition, since the flap may be readily folded back, the container is not tamper proof and its contents can be removed from the package with relative ease and handled. These features of such containers detract from their advantages and also limit their application as containers for other commodities. For example, in packaging articles which must be delivered in a clean and sometimes sanitary condition, such as bakery goods and meats, and articles for personal use, such as sanitary napkins, tampons and bandages, the possibility that extraneous matter may enter into the container is undesirable. In addition, containers for such articles should not be easily opened to prevent handling the articles contained therein.

The present invention is directed to improvements in such containers. The container of the present invention comprises a normally flat, flexible, bag-like container having superposed front and rear walls and a closure flap having its bottom edge secured in position. The closure flap is weakened so that it may be easily and readily ruptured, whereupon it may be folded back in the customary manner to provide 4access into the interior of the container. By providingV a closure flap which is initially secured in position, foreign and extraneous matter cannot enter into the interior of' the container beneath the flap. If the ap is ruptured, it is indicative that the container or its contents may have been tampered with. The container is made ready for iilling through the bottom by leaving the bottom edges unsecured. After filling, the bottom edges are secured together to close the container. The container is simple and economical to manufacture and, although it effectively seals the container contents, it can be readily opened and is reusable.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings and 3,349,993 Patented Oct. 3l, 1967 to the following detailed description which are, by Way of example, illustrative of the invention. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments and that other embodiments are contemplated.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the container lying on its side;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the container of FIG. 1, partially broken away to disclose its packaged contents;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of FIG. 1 taken along lines 3 3;

FIG. 4 is a View of the container illustrating a manner in which the closure flap is ruptured to provide access into its interior;

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating folding back of the closure flap after rupture and removal of part of its contents;

FIG. 6 is a View illustrating the manner in which the closure flap is returned to close the container after its contents have been removed;

FIG. 7 is a view of two sheets of heat-fusible material associated in overlapping relationship and illustrates a preliminary step in making the container;

FIG. 8 is a view of the overlapped sheets of FIG. 7 after they have been folded over into superposed relationship;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to fold in one of the sheets;

FIG. 10 is a view of the superposed sheets of FIG. 8 after they have been flattened, cut transversely at spaced intervals, and sealed to provide a container ready for filling through the bottom;

FIG. 11 is a view of FIG. 10, taken along lines 11-11;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of the bottom portion of the container after it has been lled and the bottom edges of the walls sealed together; and

FIG. 13 is a view of a preliminary step of an alternative method of making the container and illustrates a single sheet of material folded upon itself with its longitudinal side edges overlapping.

Referring to the drawings, an embodiment of the invention comprises a normally fiat, flexible bag-like container 10 having rectangularly-shaped, superposed walls, 12 and 14, whose vertical side edges 16 and bottom edges 18 are in alignment. One of the walls, which for convenience will be referred to herein as rear wall 14, is longer than the other Wall, referred to herein .as front wall 12, to form an extending portion which extends beyond the top edge 20 of the front wall. The extending portion of the rear wall 14 is folded transversely over top edge 20 of the front wall downwardly into overlying relationship with the upper exterior portion 22 of the front wall 12. This overlying extension forms a closure iiap 24 which extends across the width of the container.

The aligned vertical side edges 16, bottom edges 18 of the front and rear walls, and the opposite ends 26 of the closure flap, are secured. In this form, because the bottom edge of the closure flap is unsecured, the flap may be distorted and folded upwardly and back to permit access into the space between the front and rear walls which define the interior of the container.

In accordance with the invention, the closure flap 24 is secured to the upper exterior portion 22 of front wall 12 along line 28 which is at or adjacent to and parallel to the bottom edge 30 of the closure tiap, thereby sealing the container. By so securing the closure iiap, it cannot be folded back in the customary manner to permit access into the interior of the container. In order to permit the flap to be folded back, the flap is provided with a transversely-extending Irupturable area which may be in the form of a line of perforations 32 which extends across FIG. 8 illustrating a gusset on an enlarged scale,

the fiap and parallel to its bottom edge 30. The line of perforations is located above the line 28 at which the flap is secured to the front wall. The top portion of the front wall extends above the line of perforations. After rupturing along the line of perforations, the portion of the flap above the line of perforations may lbe folded back in the customary manner to provide access into the container. The portion of the flap below the line of perforations remains secured to the front wall. After the flap has been folded back to remove all or part of the container contents, it may be returned into overlying relationship with the upper exerior portion of the front wall to again close the container. Since the top exterior portion of the front wall extends above the line of perforations, the portion of the closure fiap above the line of perforations will overlap `the top exterior portion of the front wall to form an effective closure.

The container may `be constructed from a variety of materials, but is preferably made from a heat-fusible material, such as polyethylene sheeting. Such material permits the vertical side edges of the front and rear walls, their bottom edges, the opposite end edges of the closure flap and the bottom edge of the flap to be secured by heat sealing. Plastic materials such as polyethylene and polypropylene are especially suitable because they may be readily cut simultaneously with the heat sealing operation.

In its preferred form, the extending portion of the rear wall is formed with a gusset 34 or similar fold, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 11, which permits the container to be expanded in depth. The gusset may be obtained by transversely folding the extending portion of the rear wall downwardly along a line adjacent to the top edge of the front wall and then upwardly upon itself to form a fold having a V-shaped configuration. The extending portion of the rear wall is folded downwardly again into overlying relationship with the upper exterior portion of the front wall to form the cl-osure flap. If desired, the bottom of the container may also be provided with a gusset or similar fold so that the bag may be uniformly expanded indepth.

The container may be provided ready for filling with the closure ap secured along its bottom edge to the front wall and with the bottom edges of the front and rear walls unsecured so that the articles desired to be packaged can be placed into the container through its open bottom. After the articles are so placed, the bottom edges of the front and rear walls are then secured tolgether. In the preferred form of the invention, the bag is formed with one of the walls, e.g., the rear Wall, extending a short distance 36 beyond the bottom edge of the front Wall to permit the Walls to be separated more readily. After the contents are placed into the container, the bottom edges of the walls are secured together and the excess trimmed off.

In packaging such containers, air is often entrapped in the interior, causing the container to bellow out. If a line of perforations is used to form the rupturable part of the closure flap, the entrapped air can escape through the perforations and the container will maintain the desired form.

To open the container to remove its contents 38, the top portion 40 of the container above the line of perforations 32 may be grasped with one hand and the portion of the container below the line of perforations grasped with the other hand, either at the opposite end or at the side. The container is then bent backwardly along the line of perforations, thereby placing the front wall of the bag and the secured closure flap under tension. The tension causes the closure ap to separate along the line of perforations, whereupon the part of the flap above the line of perforations becomes detached. Thereafter, the closure flap may be folded back so that the container contents can be removed. The closure ap can be returned to its overlying position on the front wall, thus closing the container for continued use.

The bag may be made in accordance with the method illustrated in FIGS. 7-10. As illustrated, two elongated sheets 42 and 44 of heat-fusible material, such as polyethylene sheeting, are arranged in aligned relationship with their adjacent, longitudinal edge portions, 46 and 48 respectively, overlapping. The amount of overlap is approximately equal to the height desired in the closure flap and the overlapping edge portion 48 of sheet 44 forms the closure flap in the completed container. Sheet 44 is provided with the line of perforations 32 positioned inwardly from that longitudinal edge of the sheet which lies in overlapping relationship with sheet 42. Sheet 44 forms the flap closure and rear wall of the completed container. The sheet is, therefore, of sufficient width to form a closure flap of the height desired and a rear wall of the length desired in the completed container. Sheet 42, which forms the front wall of the completed container, is sufficiently wide to form a front wall of the length desired in the completed container.

After the sheets are arranged in overlapping relationship, the overlapped portions are heat sealed or other- Wise secured together along a line 28 parallel to the line of perforations and between the line of perforations and the overlapped longitudinal edge of sheet 44. After the sheets are heat sealed together, sheet 42 is folded around its overlapped longitudinal edge along a line parallel thereto into superposed relationship with sheet 44. Alternatively, sheet 44 may be folded around the overlapped longitudinal edge of sheet 42 along a line parallel thereto into superposed relationship with sheet 42. The sheets are so folded that the overlapping portion of the sheet provided with the perforations is located on the upper exterior portion of the second sheet. This overlapped portion forms the closure flap.

After the sheets are so folded, the two sheets are cut transversely at spaced intervals 50 at distances corresponding to the widths desired in the completed containers. The portions of the sheets adjacent to the cuts form the vertical side edges of the container. The sheets so cut form individual containers having a secured closure flap and ready for filling through the bottom. Preferably, cutting and heat sealing of the sheets is done simultaneously. This may be achieved, in accordance with known practices, by using a hot wire or a thermal impulse sealer. The end of the container opposite the closure flap remains open and unsealed to provide an opening through which the articles desired to be packaged may be placed into the interior of the container. After the contents are so positioned, the bottom edges of the front and rear walls are heat sealed together.

As is apparent from the foregoing method, the containers may be made in a continuous operation on automatic bag-making machinery from continuous lengths of heat-fusible material supplied from rolls.

If it is desired to provide a container with the gusset 34, sheet 44 is made of sufficient width to form the gusset which is positioned between the top inner surfaces of the front and rear walls of the container. Suitable folding devices may be used to form the gusset and also to fold the respective sheets into overlying relationship with each other as described above.

The containers may also be made from a single sheet of heat-fusible material. As illustrated in FIG. 13, a sheet 52 of such material is provided with the line of perforations 32 which extends longitudinally and which 1s adjacent and parallel to one longitudinal edge 54 of the sheet. The sheet is doubled upon itself in a lengthwise direction into a fiat tubular form with its longitudinal, side edge portions overlapping and with the line of perforations and the adjacent longitudinal edge 54 of the sheet on the exterior. The amount of overlap is approximately equal to the height desired in the closure ap. The tube is then flattened to form a fold or a gusset at and parallel to the inside longitudinal edge 56 of the sheet. The portion between the fold and the outside longitudinal edge 54 of the sheet forms the closure tlap 24. After the sheet is formed into the flat tubular form, the overlapped portions are heat sealed along line 28 parallel to and between the line of perforations and the adjacent, outside longitudinal edge 54 of the sheet. Heat sealing may be effected in the customary manner by using a backing plate which is positioned in the interior of the tube directly below the line along which the overlapped portions of the sheets are to be heat sealed.

The portion 58 of the tube opposite the fold at the inside longitudinal edge of the sheet may then be slit longitudinally to form two separate superposed sheets heat sealed together at the closure ilap. The sheet may be slit longitudinally as at `60 to form front and rear walls ofthe same or of diiierent lengths. After slitting, the sheets are cut and heat sealed transversely at spaced intervals, in the manner described above, depending upon the width of the container desired, to form individual containers ready for filling. The containers so formed are opened at their bottoms and the articles desired to be packaged are inserted through the opening, after which the bottom edges of the front and rear walls are sealed together to complete the container.

It is to be understood that the foregoing illustrative embodiments are not to be construed as limiting the invention and that various modifications thereof and other embodiments are contemplated within its scope.

What is claimed is:

1. A at bag comprising superposed heat-fusible sheets having their vertical side edges in registry and secured together, one of said sheets having an extending portion doubled back over the upper exterior portion of the other sheet to form an integral closure flap having a bottom edge overlying said upper exterior portion of said other sheet, the end edges of said ilap being in registry with the vertical side edges of said superposed sheets and being secured thereto, said flap being secured along its bottom edge to said other sheet, said flap being rupturable above its bottom edge and below the top edge of said other sheet to provide an access into the interior of said bag.

2. A flat bag comprising superposed heat-fusible sheets having their Vertical side edges in registry and secured together, one of said sheets having an extending portion doubled back over the upper exterior portion of the other sheet to form an integral closure ap having a bottom edge overlying said upper exterior portion of said other sheet, the end edges of said flap being in registry with the vertical side edges of said superposed sheets and being secured thereto, said ap being secured along its bottom edge to said other sheet, said ap being rupturable above its bottom edge and below the top edge of said other sheet to provide an access into the interior of said bag, the top edge of said other sheet extending above said rupturable part of said flap.

3. A ilat bag comprising superposed heat-fusible sheets having their vertical side edges in registry and secured together, one of said sheets having an extending portion doubled back upon itself to form a gusset and over the upper exterior portion of the other sheets to form on integral closure flap having a bottom edge overlying said upper exterior portion of said other sheet, the end edges of said flap being in registry with the vertical side edges of said superposed sheets and being secured thereto, said ap being secured above its bottom edge to said other sheet, said ap being rupturable above where it is secured and below the top edge of said other sheet to provide an access into the interior of said bag.

4. A flat bag comprising superposed sheets of thermoplastic film having their vertical side edges in registry and heat sealed together, one of said sheets having an extending portion doubled back over the upper exterior portion of the other sheet to form an integral closure ap having a bottom edge overlying said upper exterior portion of said other sheet, the end edges of said flap being in registry with the vertical side edges of said superposed sheets and being heat sealed thereto, said ap being heat sealed along a line above its bottom edge to said other sheet, said flap being weakened along a line above said heat sealed line and below the top edge of said other sheet along which said ap may be 4ruptured to provide an access into the interior of said bag.

5. A -at bag comprising superposed sheets of thermoplastic film having their vertical side edges in registry and heat sealed together, one of said sheets having on extending portion doubled back upon itself to form a gusset and over the upper exterior portion of the other sheet to form an integral closure flap having a bottom edge overlying said upper exterior portion of said other sheet, the end edges of said flap being in registry with the vertical side edges of said superposed sheets and being heat sealed thereto, said ilap being heat sealed along a line above its bottom edge to said other sheet, said flap being weakened along a line above said heat sealed line and below the top edge of said other sheet along which said flap may be ruptured to provide an access into the interior of said bag.

6. A bag in accordance with claim 5 wherein said weakened line in said closure flap is a line of perforations.

7. A container for confining merchandise, said container being formed of exible material and comprising first and second juxtaposed walls secured together along their side edges, and a protective ilap connected to one of said walls at one end of said container and disposed in overlying relation to the outer surface of said other wall, said protective flap being of a width substantially the same as the width of said walls and having a tear line in a medial portion thereof and overlying said other wall, said protective flap being secured to said other wall on the remote side of said tear line from said one end of the container, the side edges of at least the portion of said protective ap between said tear line and said one end of the container being secured to said walls, said protective liap upon Ibeing fractured along said tear line providing a shielded access opening into the interior of the container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,085,766 7/ 1937 Potdevin 93-35 2,265,075 12/1-941 Knuetter 93-35 2,620,842 12/1952v Hoeppner et al. 150-7 2,709,467 5/ 1955 Hoeppner 150-3 2,842,179 7/ 1958 Hoeppner 150-3 2,965,224 12/1-960 Harwood 229--51 3,015,918 1/1962 Schoen.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner. FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner.

D. M. BOCKENEK, D. T. MOORHEAD,

Assistant Examiners, 

7. A CONTAINER FOR CONFINING MERCHANDISE, SAID CONTAINER BEING FORMED A FLEXIBLE MATERIAL AND COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND JUXTAPOSED WALLS SECURED TOGETHER ALONG THEIR SIDE EDGES, AND A PROTECTIVE FLAP CONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID WALLS AT ONE END OF SAID CONTAINER AND DISPOSED IN OVERLYING RELATION TO THE OUTER SURFAE OF SAID OTHER WALL, SAID PROTECTIVE FLAP BEING OF A WIDTH SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME AS THE WIDTH OF SAID WALLS AND HAVING A TEAR LINE IN A MEDIAL PORTION THEREOF AND OVERLYING SAID OTHER WALL, SAID PROTECTIVE FLAP BEING SECURED TO SAID OTHER WALL ON, THE REMOTE SIDE OF SAID TEAR LINE FROM SAID ONE END OF THE CONTAINER, THE SIDE EDGES OF AT LEAST THE PORTION OF SAID PROTECTIVE FLAP BETWEEEN SAID TEAR LINE AND SAID ONE END OF THE CONTAINER BEING SECURED TO SAID WALLS, SAID PROTECTIVE FLAP UPON BEING FRACTURED ALONG SAID TEAR LINE PROVIDING A SHIELDED ACCESS OPENING INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE CONTAINER. 